January 2019 PRESIDENTIAL TRAVEL Secret Service and DOD Need to Ensure That Expenditure Reports Are Prepared and Submitted to

Highlights of GAO-19-178, a report to Congress congressional requesters

Why GAO Did This Study What GAO Found The Secret Service is responsible for GAO estimated that federal agencies incurred costs of about $13.6 million for the protecting the President and his family, President’s four trips to Mar-a-Lago from February 3 through March 5, 2017. This including adult children when they estimate consisted of approximately $10.6 million for operating costs of travel. The Secret Service can request government aircraft and boats and $3 million for temporary duty costs of assistance in its mission from other government personnel supporting the President’s travel, including transportation, agencies, such as DOD and the Coast lodging, and meals and incidental expenses. These figures do not include certain Guard. When the President travels, he classified cost information or the salaries and benefits of government personnel must fly on DOD aircraft. traveling with the President because, salaries and benefits would be paid GAO was asked to review the travel- regardless of whether the President was traveling. related costs for four trips that the President took to Mar-a-Lago and Estimated Costs Incurred by Federal Agencies in Support of the President’s Four Trips to Mar-a-Lago from February 3 – March 5, 2017 (dollars in thousands) three trips that the President’s adult children made to certain overseas Operational Temporary duty Total travel destinations. This report examines (1) costs costs costs the costs incurred by federal agencies Department of Defense 7,499 969 8,468 associated with the President’s travel Department of Homeland Security 3,050 2,022 5,071 on selected trips to Mar-a-Lago, (2) the Other executive agencies 18 10 29 costs incurred by federal agencies associated with certain overseas trips Total travel costs 10,567 3,001 13,568 taken by Donald , Jr. and Eric Source: GAO analysis of agency data. | GAO-19-178 Trump, and (3) the extent to which the Note: Numbers may not sum to totals due to rounding. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and DOD have reported their costs The United States Secret Service (Secret Service) incurred about $396,000, pursuant to the Presidential Protection primarily for temporary duty costs, while protecting , Jr. and Eric Assistance Act of 1976. GAO analyzed Trump during three international trips taken in January and February 2017. Eric agency cost data in connection with Trump traveled to Uruguay and the Dominican Republic and Donald Trump, Jr., the President’s travel to Mar-a-Lago and the President’s adult children’s Eric Trump, and their spouses traveled to the United Arab Emirates. Documentation provided by Secret Service officials confirmed that the Trumps trips to certain overseas locations. th GAO also reviewed the law, agency and their spouses flew on commercial aircraft. Officials from the 89 Airlift Wing guidance, and semiannual reports confirmed that no military aircraft supported these trips. Secret Service agents related to the Presidential Protection protecting the flew by commercial aircraft. Assistance Act of 1976. GAO found that, of the three agencies required to report by the Presidential What GAO Recommends Protection Assistance Act of 1976, as amended, only the United States Coast Guard (Coast Guard) reported protection costs semiannually to Congress for GAO is making recommendations to fiscal years 2015 through 2017. GAO found that the Secret Service does not the Secret Service and DOD to ensure have a policy for ensuring that the semiannual reports are prepared and has not that the reports required under the consistently submitted the reports. Secret Service officials last submitted reports Presidential Protection Assistance Act in fiscal year 2015 and were unaware that reports had not been submitted in of 1976, as amended, are prepared fiscal years 2016 and 2017 until GAO requested this information. GAO also and submitted. The Department of found that the Department of Defense (DOD) has a policy but did not produce Homeland Security and DOD and submit the reports as required. Moreover, weaknesses in DOD’s existing concurred with GAO’s recommendations. policy and instruction do not clearly establish the responsibility for preparing and reporting the costs incurred to support protection activities. Absent clear policies with an oversight mechanism to ensure that the reports are produced, Congress View GAO-19-178. For more information, has not been provided required information concerning the costs for providing contact Brian Lepore at (202) 512-4523 or [email protected] or Diana Maurer at (202) protective services for the President and others. 512-9627or [email protected].

United States Government Accountability Office